Re: Thyroid Meds - Cytomel

[Guest guest]

PH,

I know a little about cytomel, since it was prescribed to me by my

naturopathic doctor, Dr. Royal, who was the one who diagnosed my

Hashimotos. I've taken cytomel for a period of time, and in fact,

still have some. Whether or not you take it on a long term basis or

temporary basis would be a matter of healing and recovery from your

initial underactivity.

Cytomel is the T3 component of all the thyroid hormones, which is the

most powerful and active of them all. When you have an

underfunctioning thyroid, it means that the thyroid is not putting out

enough hormones, and they are replaced at a specified dosage. When

you receive thyroid hormones upon diagnosis of hypothroidism, you

receive either T4 alone (Synthroid), or a T4/T3 combination (Armour),

and sometimes the T3 alone (Cytomel).

In a normal, healthy body, T4 is converted to T3 throughout the day as

needed. That is, if you do not have a conversion issue. Most doctors

have no idea if you have a conversion issue or not, and routinely

prescribe Synthroid, one of the most popular drugs in America. If you

have a conversion issue, you will feel terrible on Synthroid, as you

won't be getting enough T3. You will feel much better on Armour,

because it provides both T4 and T3, which will give you that immediate

boost from the T3, and then you will be supplied with the T4 for the

rest of the period. However, many doctors are biased against Armour,

because it is a cheap drug and there aren't any incentives to use it.

Doctors who care about proper treatment and focus on natural

therapies are more likely to prescribe Armour. One of the most

common, but facetious arguments against Armour is that it does not

have consistency in quality. Whatever. I have used Armour and only

Armour for years.

The use of Cytomel has been controversial, but I think it is only

because of the abuse by people who are body builders and are extremely

over-focused on their muscles and fat. I remember when I filled my

prescription for Cytomel, the pharmacist eyed me closely and asked me

how I felt on it, and if I thought it was helping. He was curious.

Then, when I went to an endocrinologist, thinking I needed an expert

now that I had been diagnosed with a true endocrine disorder, he took

me off cytomel. Not sure why, except that I got a quick education

about that specialty....endocrinologists are more cookie cutter

doctors who hardly EVER look outside the box. Boy, did I feel like a

ping pong ball between these two doctors. I decided to just treat

myself by symptoms after that, using both Armour and Cytomel.

If you've been tested three different times by 3 different

practitioners, but got the same results each time, then I would take

that as a pretty strong indication that the testing is correct. The

only thing left to do would be to use it on a trial basis if you are

pretty confident that your thyroid is not working well. Have you been

tested for antibodies?

The bottom line in ANY treatment is how it makes you feel, regardless

of those rigid test results, where you are forced to fit into some

range of numbers that men in white coats have decided constitutes

normal. I like to look at the final results in human beings instead.

You pay for treatment so you can feel good, right?

Hope that helps!

Patty

>

> Hi Patty,

>

> I was wondering if you know anything about Cytomel? Three times I

> have been muscle tested by three different practitioners and every

> time I have tested poorly against Armour and Synthroid but strongly

> with Cytomel. All three times neither the practitoner nor I knew

> what the substance was until after the test...so I feel this is a

> pretty accurate indication of what I need. I also tested strongly

> for needing bio-identicals.

>

> I know took Cytomel but I think w/ her busy life now, she's not

> able to answer questions...and I don't blame her...there may come a

> time where I don't want to think about a single symptom, treatment or

> toxin ever again!!

>

> Do you know if taking Cytomel is a temporary thing or a long-term

> thing based on anything you might have read? I've only briefly

> looked into and of course, the two articles I found contradicted one

> another. Just wondering what you might have come across.

>

> Thanks.

> Love, PH

>